Some English conversation schools are increasingly tailoring classes for students who want specific training, such as dealing with customers or full immersion in American culture. One such school, Goover English School, places students with families at U.S. military bases in Japan so that they ...

I hope 2014 has started well for all our readers. Lifelines kicks off the Year of the Horse with an email from overseas reader Hannah, who has several questions about the Japanese education system: How often do English teachers administer dictation to their students? ...

Ringing in 2014, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has a dream: One nation that will actively re-engage with the global marketplace. To realize this dream by 2020, it’s commonly accepted that the Japanese need to improve their English. So, what’s the problem? Unfortunately there are ...

As a graduate of a competitive U.S. university, I didn’t take online learning seriously. Sitting in front of a computer couldn’t compare with my four-year liberal arts experience collaborating with peers and debating with professors. However, now nearing completion of my Master of Science ...

In September, Tokyo-based Jibun Mirai Associe Co. (JMA) announced it would adopt Nova as its official corporate name — 19 months after it acquired the eikaiwa (English conversation) school chain from its previous operators, and almost six years after its well-publicized downfall. It has ...

I am very interested in getting an irezumi (traditional tattoo) in Japan. Are there any artists that will tattoo a foreigner? If so, who and where? My interviewer for the teaching position tried to warn me that tattoos are a 'no-no.